Throughout the 70s, super groups were rife and bankable. Ian Hunter was probably the last person expected to indulge but, in 1978, he was called by Mountain drummer Corky Laing, who’d been asked by Elektra/Asylum to corral star mates for an album. Hunter’s post-Mott career was on the ascendant but, being a big Mountain fan, he joined in with gusto, roping in Mick Ronson, while Laing recruited bassist Felix Pappalardi (plus guests including Todd Rundgren, Leslie West and John Sebastian).
The project stalled when Elektra’s new management baulked in the face of punk, pulling the plug, leaving the album a lost secret for over 30 years. Its eight tracks rock along amiably after Easy Money’s attack on 70s excess; highlights include The Outsider, a soaring Hunter ballad (with stellar Ronson guitar solo), which would appear fully formed on his next album, You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic; and a fragile rendition of Randy Van Warmer’s Just When I Needed You Most, which grew from a jam with Paul Butterfield. The set also includes two tracks from Laing’s 1977 solo album, Makin’ It On The Street, with On The Way To Georgia featuring Eric Clapton and Dickey Betts. An enjoyable curio for the Hunter-Ronson massive.
